


True Progress

by ExtraPenguin



Category: FTL: Faster Than Light (Video Game)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-04
Updated: 2016-04-04
Packaged: 2018-05-31 06:15:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6459094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ExtraPenguin/pseuds/ExtraPenguin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Envoy would only like for the galaxy to know that true progress cannot be achieved through bloodshed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	True Progress

**Author's Note:**

  * For [primeideal](https://archiveofourown.org/users/primeideal/gifts).



> Hi primeideal! Your prompts were marvelous, and you have an excellent taste in fandoms!

It took some convincing, but his team was given permission to do it, as well as the necessary funding. Weeks of labor, and they had tracked an isolated Rebel ship's path. They had a reasonable guess of its next stop, and jumped ahead to the beacon.

The Rebel ship materialized. Envoy ordered communications to send the message: “ _This is a Zoltan peace envoy. We carry no weapons-_ ”

The Rebel ship fired a missile. _How could they? Do they not know what is at stake?_ Envoy thought.

Due to their pilot Filip's excellent piloting skills, they managed to evade the missile. Surely, the Rebel would fire another.

Then, salvation: a Zoltan defense ship! It fired a barrage of ion weapons onto the Rebel ship, disabling its shields. Envoy had to admire the skill: they had not necessarily killed anyone (…hopefully hadn't), but demonstrated that the Rebels must not do such things as fire upon unarmed peace envoys. It was similar to the concept of policing, in a way.

The defense ship fired a beam weapon that split the Rebel ship in half.

Envoy swallowed bitter disappointment.

  

The defense ship's captain invited Envoy onto her bridge.

“Greetings. I am Captain Emily, and that was very stupid of you.” She levitated around the pilot's chair in an agitated manner.

Envoy remained still. “True progress can only be achieved without bloodshed. We all must spread the word of enlightenment and hope it catches seed in the mind of those who hear it.”

Emily stopped abruptly and turned to face Envoy. “‘True progress’, as you call it, cannot be achieved if all those who aspire to it throw away their lives by facing Rebel ships. They are the scum of the galaxy and have a stated aim of making a human empire by humans and for humans, against all other races.” She paused. “Can you truly say that any who willingly join such a cause would be worthy of your benefactions?”

Envoy could feel the anger welling up inside him, sharpened by the guilt that he had known about the rebels. He counted to twelve. When he asked, “And what do _you_ think we should do?” it was maybe still sharp, but not lethal.

“Regroup and prepare for the coming war with the Rebels.” Emily turned and briskly floated off. “Farewell, Envoy. I hope you've come to your senses”, she called as Envoy felt himself be beamed off.

  

Envoy would not repeat his mistake. He would start the spreading of his message from places more amenable to it. He investigated all the major powers. The Slugs would know his truthfulness and immediately grasp his message, but were only rarely found outside their sectors and had a reputation of deceit. The Engi had been the first ones he'd asked when he had felt the need to spread the word of peace and harmony, but they had declined, citing a preference not to interfere. The Mantis and Rock were two warrior races, with the Mantis especially wishing to enslave other beings, and would thus have to be convinced at a later date, preferrably with examples of peoples who had achieved true progress through peaceful means. The Zoltan establishment was ambivalent to the idea of supporting endeavors to the outside, and debates were being held – yet the sooner the galaxy could understand the benefits of peace, the sooner it would achieve true progress. _There must be some other faction,_ Envoy thought.

A Federation ship jumped into the system. The Kestrel, it was called. Envoy tried not to pace as his team waited for the other ship's sensors to recover from the jump.

At last, he sent his message: “ _This is a Zoltan peace envoy. We carry no weapons or shielding and rely on the mercy of others to communicate our message._ ” Weeks of thought had gone into the messages. Envoy could only hope they were convincing enough.

The Federation ship was silent. Perhaps-

“ _We take your silence for interested contemplation_ ”, Envoy continued. Could this be a receptive audience? Had he made the right call? He must convince them. He continued with his message, and poured out a heartfelt plea for peace and harmony.

Still no reply. He sent the final message – “ _Please, spread the word of enlightenment to those that have not heard. Once you have, contact our brethren._ ” – and the coordinates of the final test. The Federation ship jumped out, hopefully towards the given coordinates.

Could the galaxy save itself?

Envoy kept second-guessing his decision the whole way to the other system. Was the Federation truly the best choice for bringing the galaxy back to peace?

He reminded himself of the Rebels' peace-incompatible ideology, the Mantis and Rock devotions to warfare, and the Engi unwillingness to interfere. The Federation was the only choice.

He bounced quietly. They had arrived. The Rebel ship was present, as promised.

The Kestrel jumped in, and the Rebel ship approached to engage. Would the Kestrel-

Yes. The Kestrel hailed the Rebels.

The Rebels replied. “ _I can't imagine there's anything you could say that will save you. The rebellion must destroy those that are still loyal to the obsolete Federation._ ”

“ _Perhaps there could be a reconciliation of our ideals without war?_ ” the Kestrel asked. Envoy dared hope that he had chosen correctly.

“ _Our ideals are too different to be so easily reconciled. You think this could end any way but war?_ ” the Rebels spat back.

“ _True progress can only be achieved without bloodshed_ ”, the Kestrel said, and Envoy knew he had chosen correctly. He gave the signal, and the Zoltan fleet turned off their cloaks and the projection of the Rebel ship. Envoy transported himself onto the Kestrel's bridge.

The human captain looked surprised. She had displayed her peaceful intent without expectations of reward? Good. Very good. This was a ship Envoy would be happy to help on its journey.

“Although your methods are crude and most certainly ineffective, it is clear you took our previous meeting to heart. If your ship represents the Federation's willingness to adapt we shall do what we can to aid in their fight. This technology should aid your quest”, he said.

His engineers installed Zoltan shields onto the ship, to the thankful bafflement of the human captain. Envoy wished he could join his comrades in thought, but the wisdom that spread from two sources was the wisdom that spread twice as fast. Envoy said his good-byes and, when the Kestrel jumped off to uncharted territories, Envoy's ship stayed, ready to speak to any passers-by.


End file.
